How to Shop for a Kids or Toddler Mattress

This entry was posted on October 19, 2014 by maxtrix.

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OK, so you found the perfect kids bed for your boy or girl, and now it's time to find the perfect mattress. It may not be as exciting, in fact, shopping for mattresses can be very complicated – there are lots of brands, options and sales messages.

As adults we spend a lot of time trying out many before finally choosing the right one. (Yes, you know you laid down on several mattresses in that store!!) But, when it comes to our kids' mattresses, we don't nearly have as many choices.

Kids need more sleep than adults, they spend more time in bed than adults, and their bones and organs are developing and growing and need proper support. Let's not forget the (hopefully) "occasional" spills and wear and tear kids mattresses endure! So buying the right mattress for your child is actually a very important decision.

At Maxtrix®, we believe that the most important point when considering a mattress for your child is one that many parents don’t even consider when they start to shop: SAFETY! To offer parents some great,safe choices for children's mattresses, Maxtrix® has developed a line of 5 specialty children's mattresses we call Maxmattress.
We hope the information in this article will make the mattress shopping experience easier for you, and help you ask the right questions, so you can be sure you have made the right choice when purchasing a mattress for your child.

Questions to ask before buying a kids mattress.

-Is it comfy? Just because it’s "made for kids", does not mean it shouldn't have the same, or better quality and comfort features than an adult mattress. Organic cotton, thick padding, luxurious ticking and great quality materials are all key to creating a super comfy mattress.

-Is it safe? No matter how tall your child’s bed is off the ground, you want to prevent a fall at any cost. That’s why high safety rails on any kids bed are so critical. Did you consider that every inch of thickness (and seemingly cushiness and comfy-ness) of your child's mattress reduces the safety rail height of the bed by a corresponding inch? Some manufacturers decide to only go to the minimum federally mandated 5” safety rail height for children's bunks and lofts. At Maxtrix®, the safety rail is 16” tall – the tallest in the industry. So when you use a low profile mattress (5"), you maximize the safety rail height at 11":

This is why we believe in low profile (5") mattresses for children sleeping in raised beds. You do not need to make a mattress super thick to make it comfy and great to sleep on. But, you can really cut into safety rail height with an extra plush mattress.

So what size mattress will fit my Maxtrix Bed?
All regular Maxtrix beds fit regular twin or full sized mattresses (please note that trundle beds need a special trundle sized mattress which is a little shorter than a regular twin and 5" thick). Technically, you can use a mattress that is up to 11" thick in our bunks and lofts if you so chose, as this still leaves 5" of safety rail height exposed. However, we strongly recommend using low profile mattresses, ideally at 5", to maximize the safety rail height. If you really want a thicker mattress we suggest looking for an 8" thickness, but avoid going all the way to 11".

-What kind of foam is used in the mattress? Almost all mattresses contain some kind of foam, and there are real differences that are worth understanding. The easiest way to know you are purchasing a safe, great quality foam product is to look for a Certipure certification. All foam used in Maxmattresses is certified Certipure-US, low emissions (Low VOCS), made without Ozone depleters, produced without PBDE’s, made without mercury, lead heavy metal, made without formaldehyde, made without phthalates. To learn more about Certipure, check out this link.

- What’s the surface/ticking made out of and treated with? Many kids mattresses on the market use synthetic materials that can cause sweating and block moisture. The ticking of Maxmattresses is made with organic cotton. Maxmattresses are also treated with Nanotex, a fabulous material that helps moisture bead off the surface. So when a spill happens, your mattress is protected and can dry easier.

- What choices are available, and what’s the difference? Strangely enough there are not that many choices of children's mattresses out there! Through it's Maxmattress range, Maxtrix® offers the main 4 categories of mattresses to give you a great array of choices from the most affordable foam mattress to high grade, premium Latex. The main features and benefits of each choice are listed below:

Sleeping more than one or need a place for family and friends to stay? We've got you covered there as well! Let's make sure their stay is as safe and comfortable as your son's or daughter's. Our (foam based) trundle mattress fits perfectly into the Maxtrix® trundle bed frame and creates a great comfy sleeping spot for overnight guests.

- What should I know about slats? Why is this important? At Maxtrix® our slats are tested to support up to 800 lb’s per bed - so they are super sturdy - and best of all, the slats are already included in your Maxtrix® purchase!!

Maxtrix® slats are made from 100% natural wood and because they are gaps between the slats, it helps the mattress ventilate and get rid of the moisture that accumulates inside the mattress throughout its lifetime.

All Maxtrix® slats come with 14 cross-bars, each 3.5 inches wide, including an additional middle support beam for full size beds.

And did we mention that each Maxtrix® bed comes with a slat roll included already?

5 comments on “How to Shop for a Kids or Toddler Mattress”

Yes, you could use it as a daily bed, but please note the following constraints using a trundle bed:
- The trundle is designed to be rolled in and out – so for your other child (sleeping in the low bunk or bed) to access the bed easily (i.e. without climbing over the trundle) you will need to roll the bed back in every morning.
- The trundle bed holds a slightly shorter trundle mattress, which has to be low profile (no taller than 5”) to enable the trundle to slide under the bed. The model we sell is a foam based mattress (we only offer one type). It’s a comfortable sleeping arrangement, but if you want a thicker mattress we would not recommend a trundle bed.

If you are looking for a sleeping arrangement for 3 or more children in the same room you may want to consider one of triple bunks or corner bunks as a more permanent solution.

I was searching for a suitable mattress for my kids. It was being difficult for me as people said it would be ok to buy spring or foam mattress for them. But according to me I felt these mattress would weaken their backbones. While reading your article I was convinced to buy Hybrid mattresses for them. Thank you!

The Maxtrix® kid's furniture system is made to last from solid hardwood, and easily adjusts so you can optimize the space, design and fun factor at every stage of your child’s development from toddler through tween to teen.